I just saw a news story about a 2,000 year-old sarcophagus discovered in Alexandria, Egypt. The coffin dates to the Ptolemaic era (ca. 305-30 BC). News articles have dutifully noted that the sarcophagus is 8.5 feet long. I’m trembling with excitement over what is sure to be an entertaining wave of gullible paleobabble soon to follow. I can hardly wait for all the absurd blog posts and YouTube videos touting this is proof of nephilim in Egypt. It’s actually already started as this amusing video testifies.
Do I sound a little too sure that it’s nonsense? Well, here’s a news flash…. The sarcophagus in the picture is going to turn out to be only the external sarcophagus. Sarcophagi in Egypt are like Matryoshka dolls (you know, those dolls that fit inside each other). The point is that you can’t tell the size of the occupant by the size of the outer sarcophagus.
Want proof? How about King Tut(ankhamun), whose body we have. Guess how long his outer sarcophagus was? 8.25 feet. Don’t believe me? Check out Howard Carter’s hand-written notes and measurements for Tut’s sarcophagus. The lid was 250.7 cm. That’s 8.25 feet. Was King Tut a giant? (It’s okay to laugh at the thought; I did, too). Radiologists who have X-rayed his body place his height at 5 feet 11 inches tall.
King Tut’s sarcophagus-to-true-height-non-nephilim measurements aren’t unique. Egyptologists have measured the other pharaonic sarcophagi and the bodies of the kings to whom they belonged. No giants, despite the size of the sarcophagi.
But of course this won’t stop Ancient Aliens from using this discovery. No fact ever did. Maybe they can squeeze another season of intellectual dishonesty out of it. But I hope it stops the Christian nephileemers out there. But I’m losing hope, truth be told.
